Worden e



(N Model.)

W. E. STODDARD. BOW.

vNo. 599,747. Patented Mar. 1,1898.

4 UNITED STATES- PATENT OFF-ICE.

WORDEN E. STODDARD, OF'ELBURN, ILLINOIS.

BOW.

SPECIFICATION forming Vpart of Letters Patent No. 599,747, dated March 1, 1898.

Application filed October 21, 1896. Renewed Jfuly 14, 1897. Serial No. 644,571. (No model.)

Improvement in Bows, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to a new and useful improvement in bows for the projectionof arrows, and has vfor its object to provide a device of this description which may be cheaply manufactured and so easily operated as to be readily manipulated by a child and which at the same time will insure considerable accuracy in the directing of an arrow in its flight; and a further object of my improvement is to facilitate the packing of the device in a small space when not in use 'in order that its cost of shipping may be small and that it may be more readily carried by av person using the same.

With these ends in View this invention consists in the details of construction and combination of elements hereinafter set forth,and then specifically designated by the claims.

In order that those skilled in the art to which this invention appertains may understand howto make and use the same, its construction and operation will now be described in detail, referring to the accompanying draw'- ings, forming a part of this speciiication, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective of my improve- 'ment when in use; Fig. 2, a central section thereof; and Fig. 3, a detailsection of one end of the steel-wire bow, illustrating the manner of attaching the elastic band thereto.

In carrying out my invention I provide a handle A, which is preferably made of wood, and to this is attached the bow B, composed of steel or other resilient wire, so bent as'to form an elongated rectangle, and this bow is secured to the handle by beinglet into grooves formed in the latter with staples thereto as indicated at C. An elastic strip D has its ends attached to the ends of the bow by the clip E, formed of sheet metal, and a band' around the looped ends of the strip, so as to cause the latter to iit and turn upon the vertical sections of the bow, and as a further precaution against the withdrawal of the elastic strip from the ends of the bow the free ends thereof may be glued down, as indicated at F.

A nipple G is secured to the elastic strip, at the center thereof, and is preferably made of soft rubber and has a socket H therein for the reception of the end of the arrow I, so that when said arrow is placed within the socket it may be there held from the process of retracting the strip and bow by the pressure of the fingers upon the nipple, as will be'readily understood.

The arrow is guided in the handle by passing through a hole J, formed in alinement in a section in the nipple, as a further guidance for said arrow. A barrel K is supported by abracket L, which latter is hinged to the handle, so as to swing laterally thereon, by means of the staples M, embracing the vertical section N thereof, and this bracket is prevented from being drawn from the staples by its headed end O. From this it will beseen that when the barrel is not in alinement with the will be thereafter retained against displacement, so that when it is drawn backward in v the retraction of the elastic strip and bow, which may beaimed, and with releasing the barrel will determine the direction in which it projects, acting much after the manner of the gun-barrel relative to the ball projected therefrom.

In order that the device may be packed in a small compass, the bracket L is locked in alinement with the holeJ by means of the spring-latch P, which is composed of a central piece of wire so bent as to provide a notch Q at the outer end thereof, the two inner ends of the wire being inserted in the handle, as clearly shown. By this arrangement the bracket is quickly locked and put into position, yet when itis desired to fold the same parallel with the bow this is accomplished by depressing the latch sufficiently and releasing the bracket from the notch thereof, permitting said bracket to be turned sidewise. A hole R is formed in the handle crosswise thereof, so that the arrow may be placedl within this hole, causing it to lie parallelwit-h the bow. Thus it will be readily understood that it will permit the packing of the bow' and arrow in the same compass which would otherwise be occupied by the bow alone.

While I have here shown and described the nipple G formed of soft rubber, it is obvious IOO forming this nipple of wood or other solid material.

Other slight modifications might be made in the construction herein shown without departing from the spirit of my invention. I therefore do not wish to be limited to this eX- act design.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and useful is- 1. A bow composed of a handle and an elongated rectangular springframe, an elastic band having its ends attached to the ends of said frame, a nipple in which is formed a socket for the retention and guidance of an arrow, and a barrel supported in alinement with said socket and suitable holes in the handle, substantially as shown and described.

2. In a device of the character described, a handle, a spring-bow attached thereto and an elastic strip attached to the ends of the bow, a nipple having a socket formed therein secured to the center of the strip, a barrel arranged in alinement with said socket, a bracket for supporting the barrel and means for locking said bracket in its relative position, as speciied.

3. In a device of the character described, a handle havin g a hole J formed therethrough,

a spring and bow attached thereto and an elastic strip secured to the ends of the bow, a nipple secured to the center of the strip, said nipple having a socket formed therein, a barrel arranged in alinement with the hole J, a bracket hinged to the handle anda latch for securing said bracket in relative position as specified.

L In combination with a bow of the character described, a barrel K and a bracket L upon which said barrel is manipulated, said bracket being hinged to the handle, and a spring-latch for securing the bracket in position as specified.

5. In combination u ith a device of the characte-r described, a bow formed of a single piece of spring-wire so bent as to produce an elongated rectangular frame, and an elastic strip and clips for securing said strip to the ends of the frame, as specified.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto afixed my signature in the presen cc of two subscribin g witn esses.

VORDEN E. STODDARD.

XVitnesses:

S. S. WILLIAMSON, B. A. KENDALL. 

